Q: Can a chiropractor help with sinus congestion or infection?
A: Your sinuses consist of eight hollow spaces in the bones of the forehead, cheeks and temples. Healthy, open sinuses are lined with sticky mucus to ensure that air going into the lungs is moist, warm and free from dust, dirt, and pollutants. Without these filters, lungs, kidneys and blood can become permeated with toxins.
In sinusitis or sinus infection, the linings are inflamed. The tissues become full of mucus and drainage is blocked. Increased pressure causes pain, swelling around the eyes, clogged nasal passages, chills, fever, dizziness and loss of appetite. Some people are more prone to this condition in the fall, especially with pollen, mildew, and mold allergies.
The Doctor of Chiropractic knows that sinus sufferers receive excellent relief through removal of obstructions to the proper drainage of the sinuses, specifically in the neck and back. When vertebra alignment is off the muscles that attach to them can become swollen or spastic and close off the lymphatic drainage of the head and neck. Manual or massage therapies can be of great benefit, too. I like to use colloidal silver to help drainage and prevent or fight infection.
Other things to consider would be to eat raw honey as it “inoculates” your immune system to the pollens in the raw honey making it less likely for an immune response when you breathe them. Avoid nasal sprays that dry out your sinuses as they will prompt the mucosal membrane to just make more mucous. (ever notice that you just keep using it and the sinus never really stays cleared up?) And consider staying away from cigarette smoke altogether. Your diet can keep you inflamed and sugars, flour, fried food, and salts will be the most likely to make sinuses worse. If you regularly suffer from sinusitis, have a chiropractic checkup. Your doctor can determine the source of your illness and help you towards good health.
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